The History of Canadian BroadcastingThe CRTC granted a licence for a new niche specialty channel on February 24th 2010, to Soundview Entertainment Inc. The licence was for UTV Movies, a third-language general interest service that would carry feature films, made-for-tv movies, documentaries, interviews and similar movie-related programming. It was a condition of the licence that no less than 90% […]
On November 1st, 2010, CanWest launched Twist TV, a rebranding of their former Discovery Health specialty channel. ” Twist TV”, said CanWest, “is all about real life with a twist; capturing the experiences of everyday people facing extraordinary situations. The channel’s diverse cast of characters and their colourful stories – from unique personal challenges to difficult family […]
Originally licensed in 1996 by the CRTC to CanWest Global Communications, Prime TV launched in 1997 as a channel targeting viewers in the 50+ age range, and called itself “Canada’s Entertainment Network”. On June 1st 2006 the channel was rebranded and relaunched as TVTropolis, with a new slogan, “Hit TV Lives Here”. The new schedule retained […]
Owned by TVOne Canada Broadcasting Inc., this exempt Category B Urdu language channel was launched September 14, 2010. It was acquired by Tariq Bari Sheikh in 2014 and closed down in 2015. Along with some Canadian programming, TVOne Canada broadcast programming from TVOne Global of Pakistan. Start Year: 2010 to 2015
In November 2000 the CRTC approved the awarding of a licence to Craig Broadcast Systems for a specialty channel to be known as Retro, which would be devoted to classic television programming. By the time the channel launched in September 2001, Viacom International had acquired a minority interest in the channel, and it was titled TV […]
On February 26th 2010 the CFTC granted TVA Group Inc. a seven-year licence for a new French-language specialty channel to be titled TVA Sports. Programming would be devoted to “all aspects of sports, and in particular, Canadian mainstream professional sports”. Written by Pip Wedge – March, 2010 Ownership: TVA Group Inc Start Year: 2010
In 1983 an all-sports channel to be known as Action Canada Sports Network (ACSN) was licensed as a pay speciality channel by the CRTC to the John Labatt brewery company, part owners of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. By the time it launched on September 1st 1984, the name had been shortened to simply […]
Owned by the Rogers group of companies, it was launched in 1997 as the Canadian Home Shopping Network. In 2000, the channel was renamed The Shopping Channel. TSC launched an HD feed in 2011. Ownership: Rogers Media Start Year: 1997
A program block on Corus Entertainment’s YTV, called Treehouse, was the jumping off point for an application to the CRTC for a speciality channel of that name, to be dedicated to programming for pre-school children. A licence was granted in 1996, and Treehouse began broadcasting in 1997. The channel uses both original Canadian production and the best […]
Travel TV was the name used in 2000 in the joint application by BCE Media Inc/CTV and TVA, which was approved by the CRTC, but within a year CTV had acquired 100% ownership, and the new specialty channel was launched in 2001 as CTV Travel. While the original conditions of licence restricted the channel largely to […]